The present invention relates to flavor extracts, methods of preparing the same and products incorporating the same.
The leaves of coca plants contain particularly desirable flavor constituents which can be added to edible products such as colas and other beverages, foods and pharmaceutical preparations for oral administration. However, coca leaves also contain cocaine and ecgonine alkaloids which are potent addictive drugs. In order to produce a satisfactory flavor extract for use as an additive to foods and beverages and for use as a non-drug flavor additive in pharmaceuticals, the flavor constituents in the coca leaves must be extracted from the leaves and separated from these alkaloids. This is a formidable task. Whatever process is used should separate essentially all of the cocaine and ecgonine from the flavor constituents. Presence of these substances in a flavor extract is highly undesirable for reasons of health, and is prohibited by government regulations. The flavor constituents in the coca leaves include a complex mixture of numerous components susceptible to degradation or loss during processing. The separation of the cocaine and ecgonine from the flavors should be accomplished without substantial loss or degradation of useful flavor constituents. Moreover, many of the flavor constituents are soluble in the same solvents as the undesirable alkaloids. Attempts to prepare a satisfactory flavor extract from coca leaves by first treating the leaves with various organic solvents to remove the alkaloids and then extracting the flavors from the leaves have been unsuccessful because a substantial portion of the flavors are lost with the alkaloids in the solvent extract.
Thus, prior to the present invention there have been significant unmet needs for improved methods of preparing flavor extracts from coca leaves, for improved flavor extracts made from coca leaves and for improved edible products containing such extracts.